Tanama River and Caves, Utuado /Frazier Nivens
Central February-2005, By:Travel and Sports Staff
Experience the Central Beauty
Adjuntas, Ciales, Gurabo, Utuado
If you’re looking for a cooling break from the beach, you can take a day trip into the mountains for a mix of the culture and environment unique to this area. The 20 municipalities in the Central region can be thought of as being along two driving routes (with San Juan as the starting point). he Southern route begins in Caguas and travels through Aguas Buenas, Gurabo, San Lorenzo, Cidra, Cayey, Aibonito, Comerío, Barranquitas, Orocovis, and Villalba before ending in Adjuntas. The Northern route goes from Naranjito to Corozal, Morovis, Ciales, Florida, Lares, Utuado and Jayuya. The Southern route covers a good bit of the Luis Muñoz Marín Panoramic Route.
Adjuntas
Adjuntas derives its name from the term "Tierras Adjuntas," or adjacent lands. It was founded during the second decade of the 19th century at the time of the historic "Cédula de Gracia" promulgation. It is known as "La Ciudad del Gigante Dormido" after the figure of a sleeping giant that may be seen in the mountains. In some ways, Adjuntas is both a natural hub and a hub of nature. It is now easy to reach from both the north (Arecibo) and south (Ponce) due to the completion of most of the new Rt 10. This makes it, along with Utuado, one of the easiest central mountain towns to reach. At the Casa Pueblo you can get permits to the Bosque del Pueblo. While you are at the Casa Pueblo, check out the "Mariposario" (a butterfly garden).
Ciales
Ciales is well known for the rivers that run through and under this area. From the Ciales forest, important high-quality woods are produced including ausubo (a West Indian fruit tree), cedar, ortegón and maya. Unlike other areas in Puerto Rico, coffee production is still the largest agricultural product in Ciales. This area has a strong artist community and, like other towns in Central Puerto Rico, has produced a number of notable personages including Juan Antonio Corretjer (poet and fighter for the independence of Puerto Rico) and Juan Pachín Vicéns (the best basketball player in 1954).
Gurabo
A good place to start in Gurabo is the "Centro de Exposiciones" in the City Hall. This bright-yellow building houses a photographic gallery recording the history of Gurabo and a remarkable bell tower. If you are lucky, you get to go up on the roof and into the small yellow building that houses one of the oldest clocks in the Island (1898), a finely crafted machine, a real historical masterpiece. As you walk out of the City Hall to your right, you could go up to one of the "stairway streets" that take you to the small hill in the center of town. Gurabo is also the home of the "mapeyé" rhythm, one of the distinctive types of Puerto Rican folkloric music.
Utuado
The name Utuado is derived from the Taíno Indian word "Otoao," which means "between the mountains." Utuado is also known as the "Ciudad del Viví" after the Río Viví, which runs through town. On the direct route to Utuado (via Rt 10) from Arecibo is the Río Abajo Forest. This large forest is in the heart of the karst country, with very rugged formations, an extensive trail system and a visitors center. Dos Bocas Lake, just north of Utuado, is a beautiful, large, winding reservoir. For a weekend jaunt, take the ferry leaving from the main dock to one of the many restaurants on the water's edge. The Centro Ceremonial Indígena de Caguana (west on Rt 111 toward Lares) features 10 bateyes (ball fields), petroglyphs surrounding a central sacrificial stone monument, and a small museum. This major site dates back to 1200 AD.
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2005-08 Aguas Buenas, Cidra, Lares, Naranjito
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